Scoliosis, an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, primarily affects girls between the ages of 8 and 18. It will often onset with what appears to be a postural distortion: one shoulder higher than the other or the torso shifted or twisted to one side. However, if it is allowed to advance it can become a permanent deformity and may interfere with the function of vital organs such as the lungs and heart.

The Three Reported Causes of Scoliosis

1. Congenital: if multiple family members are affected this is often time attributed to a genetic predisposition
2. Habitual: taking part in activities that are asymetrical such as carrying a school bag on one shoulder.
3. Idiopathic: When the doctors shrug their shoulders and say, “We have no idea!” This literally means the cause is unknown.

Regardless of what the cause may be the sooner it is identified the more likely a solution or plan for managing the condition can be implemented the better the long term outcome will be.

The Obvious Warnings

As humans when we look at one another we most often focus on the features of the face. This is also true when we look at ourselves in the mirror. It is very important as a parent to also be alert to your childrens posture. Some of the most obvious postural warnings to see include: their head tilting to one side consistently, a high shoulder or low hip may make clothes fit improperly or uneven tread wearing on the soles of the shoes. Teens that report regular bouts of back and leg pain should never be dismissed as “growing pains” as this can also be an early warning sign.

What are the Options if Your Child has Scoliosis?

Most parent start by using the “wait and see what happens” approach. With many health conditions such as a cold or a flu this can be the best approach. However, if the type of scoliosis a child has is progressive allowing it to “run its course” will simply allow the condition to worsen. In severe cases this could ultimately lead to unsightly bracing or even surgery that attaches steel rods to the spine to force it into a straighter position.

Chiropracic: The Natural Approach

A schedule of specific chiropractic adjustments combined with exercises designed to improve posture may help to improve the function and structure of the spine. Improving the strength and condition of the postural muscles may improve the overall condition of the spine. Bring your child in so we can discuss your concerns and explore the possibilities.

FAQs on Scoliosis:

Isn’t a certain amount of sideways curvature normal?

Any sideways curvature of the spine is considered abnormal. From the back or front, the spine should appear straight and be centered and balanced. When scoliosis is present, there are usually two curves. A primary curve in one direction and a compensatory curve in the opposite direction.

Is scoliosis related to a calcium deficiency?

No. However, there are a growing number of people who believe uncorrected spinal damage from the birth process may be involved while others theorize that “early walkers” may prematurely interrupt the crawling stage that is essential for proper spinal development.

Can heavy backpacks or school bags cause scoliosis?

This is a significant concern for many parents. However, there is very little evidence that would suggest that the heavy bags would be the cause of scoliosis but it may be a contributing factor to the progression of the condition. Be sure that your children use both shoulder straps on their back-packs so the weight is evenly distributed. Weigh their bag and avoid it exceed 10% -15% of their body weight.

Most people that have experienced this painful condition will call it a “pinched nerve”, exclaiming, “it feels like I’ve pinched a nerve“. However, the majority of the time there’s a bit more going on!

Between each of the bones of the spine there are a pair of openings, which are individually called the intervertebral foramen or neural foramen. That’s Latin for a hole or opening between the bones of the spine or an opening for a nerve, respectively. This hole between the bones of the spine is where the nerves exit from the spine to form the connection between our brain and all of the other parts of our body.

This nerve opening along your spine must be kept open to maintain proper communication between your brain and your body. Think about it this way. Do you remember the last time your internet connection was down? That can be pretty frustrating. You have important work to get done or a message that you need to pass along but you are disconnected. Well when these nerve openings between the bones of the spine are closed off your brain and your bodies “internet connection” is down and they can’t properly communicate.

There are 24 movable bones in your spine that are designed to protect your spinal cord and the nerves of the spine while at the same time allowing you to have the freedom of normal movement: twisting, turning, flexing and extending. The spinal nerves exit from the spine in pairs, one on each side. Inside of the spinal column the nerves are connected to the spinal cord in a very organize way. Each segment or level of the spinal cord where a nerve connects services specific organs and tissues of your body. When a neural foramen (nerve opening) is blocked or obstructed, even slightly, your brain can’t do it’s job of controlling and regulating the functions of your body properly.

When a spinal bone is malpositioned or doesn’t move the way that it should this can encroach or close down these important nerve openings resulting in either a pinched nerve or an irritated nerve. In either case most people will refer to this as a “pinched nerve”.

The Two Types:

• Compression lesion: This is the fancy name for a pinched nerve. What is surprising to most people is that this specific problem is actually quite rare.
• Facilitated lesion: This is when the nerve root is over stretched or if the muscle or other connective tissues in close proximity to the nerve become inflamed or injured. When this happens the nerve becomes super sensitized. Imagine that someone or something has been bothering or aggravating you all day long and your at the point where any little thing could just make you scream. That is a “Facilitated lesion”.

Pain Spasm Pain: The Vicious Loop

A facilitated lesion most often starts as a painless process where the body is trying to protect an area that has a mild injury. Maybe you over stretched while lifting something our of your car or twisted yourself while reaching for something under your desk. Initially, you may not feel any pain. However, the area of the spine that has been mildly injured will become tight to restrict the normal movement of the area in an effort to protect it so that it can be repaired. Unfortunately, because we may not realize there is an injury we continue on with our normal activities and the simple fact that we continue to move and use the area allows it to become more and more aggravated until we reach the point that any little thing will cause it to scream. At the point where we reach “pain” the protective reaction of the body becomes stronger and muscle tension becomes muscle spasm. The muscle spasm further aggravates an area which is already facilitated, which in turn causes more pain and the cycle pain spasm pain repeats and repeats.

Remember that bones are a static structure of the body. Bones don’t move on their own – they must be moved by a muscle. Similarly, muscles don’t move the bones of our body unless they are given the signal to do so by our nervous system. In the pain spasm pain loop the facilitated nerve is almost always the culprit. Our job is to locate these areas of your spine and help to bring things back into balance.

A Specific Nudge

A chiropractic examination is designed to helps us identify areas of your spine where the spinal bones and joints are malpositioned or not moving properly as these are often times the cause of a facilitated lesion. Then, through a specific little nudge called a chiropractic adjustment we help your body to “right itself” thus allowing the nerve irritation to be reduced.

Chiropractic care is a natural way to restore and maintain the normal function of your spine and nervous system. Abnormal spine and nervous system function can lead to a variety of health problems. Chiropractors regularly help patients to recover from health concerns that on the surface appear unrelated to a problem in their spine. Remember spinal dysfunction leads to nervous system dysfunction which in turn causes health problems. Chiropractors help spinal function which helps nervous system function which leads to improved health.

Give us a call today to find out how chiropractic care can help.

FAQs on Pinched Nerves:

How long does it take for nerve irritation to reduce?

There are many factors that help to determine how long the healing process will be. For some pain relief may be instantaneous. While for others it can take many weeks or even months. The biggest factors that affect the healing process include: how long have you had your problem, are you following your treatment schedule, are you getting the proper rest, hydration and nutrition, do you smoke, are you in otherwise in good health? Most patients will experience a sense of good progress while they are following our recommendations. We will do our best to provide you with a good estimate of how long your healing time may be.

My friend/co-worker/family member only needed one visit?

It is true that a single visit can sometimes produce amazing pain relief. However, this type of result is relatively rare and is most often short lived. If the underlying muscles and supportive tissues of the spine are not strengthened and reconditioned, a relapse or worsening of the condition can often occur. Clinical experience demonstrates that the majority of adult patients starting chiropractic care today will have significant levels of damage and adaptive changes to the bones, joints, muscles and other supportive structures of the spine. This leaves a spine in a state where it is easily injured from normal day to day activities and less likely to recover from injury without treatment. A single “miracle” adjustment may offer significant relief it rarely if ever produces permanent positive changes to the function of the spine.

Many suggest that these rises are primarily related to the increase age of our population combined with accessibility and advancement of surgical procedures. Of course, for those with unrelenting, daily pain these radical surgeries can appear to be a blessing. However with the level of risk associated to the procedures themselves combined with the fact that the occurrence of nosocomial infections is continuing to rise it is important that we start taking actions today to help prevent these types of surgeries from continuing to rise in popularity. By far the best way forward are the old reliable: regular exercise, as vigorous as is reasonably possible; a healthy diet containing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; and sufficient rest on as consistent basis as possible. Regular chiropractic care is also a key component of helping to keep your weight bearing joints in peak condition.

Most replacement surgeries are done when patient reaches the point of severe and unrelenting pain caused by degenerative joint disease, which is also called osteoarthritis. The hips, knees, and ankles are all weight bearing joints. These joints are big and strong and have many surfaces on which to distribute the substantial mechanical loads which are placed on them throughout the day. Unfortunately, these joints may not last forever and similar to many living systems when their age starts show they begin breaking down. If this breaking down process progresses the joint can become necrotic at which point a replacement is almost inevitable. However, there is significant research to suggest that this breaking down process can at the very least be slowed down and in many cases it can actually be reversed through restoring normal movement to the joint and then through using regular exercise.

Chronic poor posture is a significant factor that results in abnormal movement patterns in these large joints and leaves them susceptible to degeneration. Unfortunately, our body doesn’t come with an instruction manual. So as time goes on, the inefficient habits we develop as children and teenagers can become permanent. People slouch, they let their abdominal muscles sag, they stand with all their weight on one leg, and their heads stick out in front rather than being centered over their chests. One result is chronically tight and painful neck, shoulder, and lower back muscles. Another result is chronically uneven distribution of the weight of the body, ultimately causing restricted movement and degeneration of hips and knees.

Poor dietary habits can also be a significant factor. These large joints actually produce their own lubricating fluid, however certain dietary deficiency can result in key nutrients not being available and thus poor production of the lubricating fluids. Lack of proper joint lubrication leads to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis leads to pain when used for exercise. Lack of regular exercise inhibits normal joint motion and normal joint nutrition and lubrication, leading to the development of degenerative joint disease. When you add up faulty biomechanics, lack of a healthy diet, and lack of proper exercise, the result is a prescription for chronic hip and knee problems.

The best time to start addressing these issues when you’re young and have healthy joints to work with. As they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get started at any age because you can. It simply means that starting healthy habits in your lifestyle is easier to achieve when you are young. When you are 9 or 90 the best time to begin making healthful changes is right now. Chiropractic care directly helps improve a person’s biomechanics and posture. Chiropractic care also helps the body to adapt and recover faster when starting a new exercise program. Chiropractic care helps the body make the best possible use of the good food they’re beginning to eat.

For most of us, the best way to prevent the need for a hip or knee replacement is to take consistent, healthy actions on our own behalf. If a hip or knee replacement turns out to be the way to go, all of these healthy actions will help ensure a quick recovery and continued good health from this point onward.

Persons with fibromyalgia have so many symptoms that an uninformed physician may find it easier to refer such patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist, but the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia are real. The sufferers have widespread pain on a chronic basis. Additional symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, joint stiffness, and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog). Depression is also common in those with fibromyalgia as it becomes difficult for them to see an end to their pain.

Fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to treat because even gentle treatment can result in very significant changes. Quite often fibromyalgia sufferers use multiple medications, prescribed by multiple specialists attempting to combat the problems that fall within their particular branch of medicine – pain management, rheumatology, and psychology/psychiatry. Unfortunately, even trying to comprehend the various interactions between these medications is mind boggling.

Despite seeing a variety of specialists and taking the variety of medications they have been provided, most fibromyalgia patients tend not to show signs of improvement. Depression and chronic pain can take a profound toll as their daily living becomes quite burdensome. Many fibromyalgia sufferers give up hoping for even a partial solution.

Attempting to address fibromyalgia by treating the various symptoms will almost always fail. To date the exact physiologic causes of the disorder is classified as unknown. However, many holistic approaches have offered a greater likelihood of success. Multidisciplinary approaches to treatment are often needed to impact this type of systems-wide disorder. Many fibromyalgia sufferers have reported great responses to chiropractic care. Chiropractic care combined with nutritional recommendations designed to help the patient get back to normal levels of physical activity has offered some of the most consistent relief. Because many fibromyalgia sufferers are significantly delayed in getting on the road to recovery, they may also require some psychological counseling or support to help them regain their confidence and to stay positive while in a program of care.

Dr. Andrew Thaw is a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens, practicing for over 23 years. His office is conveniently located in the Shoppes in the Gardens, a plaza on Military Trail just south of PGA Boulevard. Dr. Thaw has treated many patients with this type of condition.

When the physiologic cause for a condition is unknown, it is virtually impossible to identify a cure. However, adding activities to your lifestyle that are known to improve health and well-being can be beneficial regardless of the health condition from which you are afflicted. Improving your diet, improving your movement, improving your posture, and improving your hydration all have been shown to be beneficial for your health regardless of your current health condition.

We are always available to answer questions and to see if we can help. Give our office a call today at 561-775-9111. Consultations are always complimentary!

Dr. Andrew Thaw, a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens for over 23 years, wants you to know that you did actually get measurable results – you were just measuring the wrong things: New Membership, New Clothes and New Equipment. Of course, that wasn’t what you had intended but in today’s culture we have a tendency to throw money at things in an effort to buy a solution. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really matter how much money you throw at your fitness – it’s tough to buy regular exercise. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make the experience more pleasant by buying a few comforts but the first thing that should be on your To Do list is a commitment to what you want to achieve with your regular exercise, the time frame you want to achieve this goal, the benefits of achieving this goal and an action plan. You can get very specific on this point.

What Does Your Goal Look Like? Here is an example from one of Dr. Thaw’s patients:

My Regular Exercise Goal: Walk Continuously for 30 minutes 4 days per week
Time Frame to Achieve My Goal: 6 weeks (this is a good time frame to start with)
Benefits from Achieving My Goal: Increase Cardiovascular Fitness, Improved Sleep, Lower Stress and More Life
Action Plan: Walk Continuously for 5 minutes 4 days per week and increase by 5 minutes each week.

Learning to Leverage Yourself

Now it’s time to leverage yourself to ensure that you actually achieve your goal. Decide on a reward that you will give yourself for achieving it. Don’t go over the top on your first goal, but it should definitely be something that you really want.

Reward for Achieving My Goal: 2 hour Full Body Spa Treatment

Don’t wait until you achieve your goal to buy the reward – go out and buy it now! This is the best way to spend money on achieving better fitness; on a reward for doing it.

Now here’s a great way to really leverage yourself -  Call someone that knows you have been struggling with your exercise and let them know what your goal is and that you have already bought your reward. Tell them that you are so committed to achieving this goal that if you don’t do it,  you will be giving them your “reward”! This works even better if you would hate to give this person your reward.

We All Love to be the Winner!

Learning how to access this built-in desire to achieve the goal and reward as part of your regular exercise program can help to get you off of the merry-go-round. The trouble with regular exercise is that we very often can’t perceive the goal or reward and, as a result, we have a hard time understanding why we are continuing to do this regular exercise. By building in your own goals and reward system, Dr. Thaw promises that your commitment to achieving your goals will be much more sustainable.

Is Walking Really Beneficial to My Health?

Remember that general exercise is a key factor in maintaining overall health and well being. If you’re committed to the long-term health and well-being for yourself and your family, regular exercise is essential. Starting with walking as your form of regular exercise is one of the best possible choices. Walking avoids the vast majority of pitfalls associated with other types of exercise. Walking is low-impact, requires minimal equipment, and no gym memberships. Walking can be done outside in the fresh air and sunshine which provides many additional benefits beyond those gained from the exercise itself.

Starting slowly is the main consideration. If you haven’t done any vigorous physical activity for months or years, 5-10 minutes of walking at a modest pace should be sufficient for your first day of walking. 3-5 minutes out and 3-5 minutes back. Make 10 minutes your limit even if that amount feels like it is too little. It’s always better to start with less exercise and gradually increase over time than to start with too much and suffer from muscular soreness or injury. Add approximately a minute each day until you’re doing a thirty minute walk at a modest pace. With this quantity of comfortable walking, you can now begin to increase your pace. Ultimately, 30 minutes of walking at a brisk pace will provide sufficient health benefits for most people, based on 4 to 5 walking sessions per week.

Consistent regular exercise can help to lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, reduce the incidence of stroke, reduce the incidence of diabetes and obesity, and it can even improve the outcomes of patients receiving cancer treatment. Walking for exercise is an efficient, enjoyable, and easy way to enable you and your family to begin obtaining these long term health benefits.

If you are interested in more health-related advice from Dr. Thaw, please call our office at 561-775-9111 today and schedule a complimentary consultation. We are here to help!

Most people that have experienced this painful condition call it a “pinched nerve”, exclaiming, “it feels like I’ve pinched a nerve“. However, the majority of the time there’s a bit more going on! Dr. Andrew Thaw, a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens, explains:

Between each of the bones of the spine there are a pair of openings, which are individually called the intervertebral foramen or neural foramen. That’s Latin for a hole or opening between the bones of the spine or an opening for a nerve, respectively. This hole between the bones of the spine is where the nerves exit from the spine to form the connection between our brain and all of the other parts of our body.

This nerve opening along your spine must be kept open to maintain proper communication between your brain and your body. Think about it this way. Do you remember the last time your internet connection was down? That can be pretty frustrating. You have important work to get done or a message that you need to pass along but you are disconnected. Well, when these nerve openings between the bones of the spine are closed off, your brain and your body’s “internet connection” is down and they can’t properly communicate.

There are 24 movable bones in your spine that are designed to protect your spinal cord and the nerves of the spine while at the same time allowing you to have the freedom of normal movement: twisting, turning, flexing and extending. The spinal nerves exit from the spine in pairs, one on each side. Inside of the spinal column the nerves are connected to the spinal cord in a very organized way. Each segment or level of the spinal cord where a nerve connects services specific organs and tissues of your body. When a neural foramen (nerve opening) is blocked or obstructed, even slightly, your brain can’t do it’s job of controlling and regulating the functions of your body properly.

“The human body is a complex, intricate machine,with so many moving parts. Keeping it running smoothly is important,” says Dr. Thaw.

When a spinal bone is malpositioned or doesn’t move the way that it should, this can encroach or close down these important nerve openings resulting in an irritated nerve. In either case, most people will refer to this as a “pinched nerve”.

The Two Types:

• Compression lesion: This is the fancy name for a pinched nerve. What is surprising to most people is that this specific problem is actually quite rare.
• Facilitated lesion: This is when the nerve root is over stretched or if the muscle or other connective tissues in close proximity to the nerve become inflamed or injured. When this happens the nerve becomes super sensitized. Imagine that someone or something has been bothering or aggravating you all day long and your at the point where any little thing could just make you scream. That is a “Facilitated lesion”.

Pain – Spasm- Pain: The Vicious Loop!

A facilitated lesion most often starts out as a painless process where the body is trying to protect an area that has a mild injury. Maybe you over-stretched while lifting something out of your car or twisted yourself while reaching for something under your desk. Initially, you may not feel any pain. However, the area of the spine that has been mildly injured will become tight to restrict the normal movement of the area in an effort to protect it so that it can be repaired. Unfortunately, because we may not realize there is an injury we continue on with our normal activities and the simple fact that we continue to move and use the area allows it to become more and more aggravated until we reach the point that any little thing will cause it to scream. At the point where we reach “pain”, the protective reaction of the body becomes stronger and muscle tension becomes muscle spasm. The muscle spasm further aggravates an area which is already facilitated, which in turn causes more pain and the cycle “pain – spasm- pain” repeats and repeats.

Remember that bones are a static structure of the body. Bones don’t move on their own – they must be moved by a muscle. Similarly, muscles don’t move the bones of our body unless they are given the signal to do so by our nervous system. In the “pain – spasm – pain” loop, the facilitated nerve is almost always the culprit. Our job is to locate these areas of your spine and help to bring things back into balance.

A Specific Nudge

A chiropractic examination by Dr. Thaw is designed to helps us identify areas of your spine where the spinal bones and joints are mispositioned or not moving properly as these often times cause a facilitation lesion. Then, through a specific little “nudge” called a chiropractic adjustment we help your body to “right itself”, thus allowing the nerve irritation to be reduced.

Chiropractic care is a natural way to restore and maintain the normal function of your spine and nervous system. Abnormal spine and nervous system function can lead to a variety of health problems. Chiropractors regularly help patients to recover from health concerns that on the surface appear unrelated to a problem in their spine. Remember, spinal dysfunction leads to nervous system dysfunction which in turn causes health problems. Chiropractors like Dr. Thaw help spinal function which helps nervous system function which leads to improved health.

Give us a call today at 561-775-9111 to find out how chiropractic care can help. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Thaw. Our office is conveniently located on Military Trail, just south of PGA Boulevard in the newly renamed Shoppes in the Gardens.

FAQs on Pinched Nerves:

How long does it take for nerve irritation to reduce?

There are many factors that help to determine how long the healing process will be. For some pain relief may be instantaneous. While for others it can take many weeks or even months. The biggest factors that affect the healing process include: how long have you had your problem, are you following your treatment schedule, are you getting the proper rest, hydration and nutrition, do you smoke, are you in otherwise in good health? Most patients will experience a sense of good progress while they are following our recommendations. We will do our best to provide you with a good estimate of how long your healing time may be.

My friend/co-worker/family member only needed one visit

It is true that a single visit can sometimes produce amazing pain relief. However, this type of result is relatively rare and most often short-lived. If the underlying muscles and supportive tissues of the spine are not strengthened and reconditioned, a relapse or worsening of the condition can often occur. Clinical experience demonstrates that the majority of adult patients starting chiropractic care today have significant levels of damage and adaptive changes to the bones, joints, muscles and other supportive structures of the spine. This leaves a spine in a state where it is easily injured from normal day to day activities and less likely to recover from injury without treatment. A single “miracle” adjustment may offer significant relief, but it rarely, if ever, produces permanent positive changes to the function of the spine.

As a child, you were probably told a few times to “Stand up straight!”, “Sit up straight!” or my favorite “Stop Slouching!” Good posture isn’t really about being “straight”. The basis for good posture is a “neutral and balanced” position that minimizes asymmetrical strain on the various joints of the body. That means that we should try to carry the same amount of weight through our joints on both sides of our body as well as from the front to the back.

Why is Posture So Important Today?

Posture has always been important. Historically much more so than in modern times. This importance was passed down from teacher to student, parent to child or grandparent to grandchild through those wonderful affirmations of “Stand up straight!”  I’m not sure that our teachers, parents and grandparents necessarily knew how important posture was in relationship to our health, but they did know that their teachers, parents and grandparents reinforced it for them – so it had to be good enough for us.

However, in more recent times, the importance of reinforcing posture has been slipping for various reasons. Over the last 30 years we have witnessed a significant change in the teacher to student, parent to child and grandparent to child dynamic. Telling a student, child or grandchild to “sit up straight” or “stand up straight” to reinforce their posture is no longer an integral part of our cultural experience.

Dr. Andrew Thaw, a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens for over 23 years, has noted that today’s children are regularly taking part in activities that reinforce poor posture such as: television, computers, and video games.  Dr. Thaw regularly treats young patients suffering from repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Twenty years ago RSIs were primarily reserved to people working in the data entry or secretarial services, with problems like carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic pain in the hands, back pain, neck pain, headaches and shoulders pain which are problems normally related to bad workplace ergonomics. Today we are seeing these conditions rising at an alarming rate in high school students.

A New York Times article reported that over 70% of America’s elementary school students are now regularly using computers in school. It is only a matter of time until the other 30% of students will also be using computers. While this is good for the minds and the future work prospects of these children, it can be damaging to their bodies.

Researchers from Cornell University published a study revealing that 40% of the elementary school children they studied were using computer workstations that created a significant postural risk. While all of the students in the study used work stations that at the very least raised “some concern” about the affects on the students posture.

It is not enough to teach children how to use computers; more emphasis has to be placed on teaching them how to properly use the actual workstations. These are the formative years for an individual, mentally, emotionally and physically. Poor work habits when young can lead to serious health effects that plague that person for the rest of their life. While parents know to watch out for signs of substance abuse in their children, few have any idea of the long-term health effects that can arise from postural problems.

What can you do?

Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to lessen the chances of your child suffering painful and potentially disabling injuries. First and foremost ensure that your child understands how important their posture is by reminding them to “Stand up straight” and “Sit up straight” in a loving way but regularly.

To maintain good posture while standing, it is important to:

• Position your head directly over your shoulders, which should be positioned directly over your pelvis
• Keep some space between your feet, one foot slightly in front of the other
• Keep your abdominal muscles taut (tighten the “core” muscles) and your bottom tucked in
• Bend slightly at the knees

To maintain good posture while sitting, remember to:

• Keep your feet flat on the floor with your hips and knees at a 90 degree angle
• Keep your chin level – practice with a book on your head if it helps!
• Keep your lower back slightly arched – use a “lumbar roll” to maintain proper posture in the lower back if you sit for long periods of time
• Remember to take periodic breaks from sitting and move around a bit or adjust your sitting position from time to time to prevent stress on your spine

If you or your child are suffering from posture-related pain despite your best efforts to avoid it, your next stop should be at Dr. Thaw’s office to prevent the injury from worsening and promote healing. Having your posture and spine fully evaluated is the first step. Call our office at 561-775-9111 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Thaw. Consultations are always complimentary!

Our feet carry us everywhere that we want to go. They come in virtually every size and shape and are thrust into narrow spaces or boosted up on four-inch heels to give us height; victimized by bunions, calluses, plantar warts, and blisters; subjected to hot sand, hard gravel and stones in the summer and occasionally treated to a pedicure – very nice! Believe it or not, they can also be the cause of that chronic low back pain! Yes, we are talking about your feet!

You may not realize it, but chiropractors have alot of knowledge about your feet!

Normally, the arches of our feet are designed to be strong and flexible and like the shock absorbers in your car they help to absorb the impact of every step, which is an important feature if you plan to do any walking. Our feet also provide the balance necessary to support the body. When arches are flat, the muscles in the lower back become strained as they work harder to balance the body over both feet and absorb more of the impact of each step.

One way to compensate for low arches and to reduce back pain is to invest in some good foot orthotics. Worn in each shoe, orthotics bring back form and function to the feet so that proper balance can be restored. In order to heal, it’s important to wear orthotics in your shoes whenever you’re standing, walking, running or biking. Orthotics are not a solution for everyone but for the person that needs orthotics they can be a true blessing.

Most orthotics are specially designed to fit the specific needs of a patient and can be made to accommodate any size foot. Typically, you can replace your current shoe insole with the orthotic very easily. By changing the mechanics of your feet, they work more efficiently and can offer significant relief to the muscle strain in the lower back. If the source of your lower back pain comes from poor foot mechanics, this one step can offer significant improvements for your lower back. Many notice more energy and less fatigue almost immediately.

Dr. Andrew Thaw is a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens for over 23 years. He has been building custom orthotics for his patients for years. After an initial examination, Dr. Thaw is able to tell if your particular condition could benefit from a pair!

Of course, it’s important to remember that orthotics are are designed as an adjunct to support your chiropractic adjustments! Be sure to contact us for a thorough examination if you are experiencing low back pain regardless of the source.

We look forward to serving you! Call us today at 561-775-9111.

Whether you are a competitive athlete in training or a person who just wants to keep fit by visiting the gym frequently, protecting your back and spine from injuries during workouts is not only the most important but your first priority. Studies found that after injuries to the hand, injuries to areas ranging from the neck to the lower back were the most common type of gym-related injuries.

Life Before the Gym

Today back injuries are the most common due to the repetitive actions that we due on a daily basis. Our lives most often consist of sitting at a desk hunched over a computer or sitting for long periods in cars or planes. These daily repetitive activities done over an extended period of time not only place a daily strain on the back but due to muscle core memory, it recreates a new posture and spinal alignment. Specialists in fitness find that when a person’s posture is rounded throughout the day in their upper back, and then they go to the gym and do an overhead shoulder lift standing, their upper back cannot extend properly. They straighten and arch upward from their lower back, which is then overloaded due to the extra stress that is placed on those discs.

Suggestions for Success

No matter what your career entails, spinal specialists and trainers alike suggest that in order to avoid injury you consider getting a qualified person who can show you the proper way of performing exercises and using the gym equipment effectively.

The most important way to maintain good spinal health is to strengthen your core muscles. These are the muscles that lend strength and support to the spine, and which tend to become weakened with the long periods of sitting.
Following are a few tips on how to use proper form when exercising or lifting weights in the gym.

• Tighten your bum – When performing a squat, deadlift, or during pushups, be sure to squeeze the muscles in your gluteus. This ensures that the muscles connecting your lumbar and sacral areas are locked so your hips and lower back move as a single unit. Otherwise there is a tendency for the lower back to curve, with the vertebral discs being exposed to more stress than they are designed to handle.
• Tighten your abs – To keep your spine from arching too much in either direction, tighten your abdominal muscles like you are preparing to be punched in the stomach. This will provide stability to the spine as you bend and lift.
• Pull your shoulders down and back – Consciously push your shoulders back and down. You should feel the muscles between your shoulder blades tighten. Practice in the mirror and to better visualize the proper position of your spine.
• Enjoy!! Most of all embrace the power of a better healthier you.

Have you ever woken up after a full night’s sleep and felt more exhausted than when you went to bed? Of course you have, but what is the difference between good sleep and bad sleep? The difference is in our sleep cycles and, most importantly, about the REM our brain was able to experience during this time.

What is REM?

It’s not only the name of a musical band. REM or Rapid Eye Movement is one the two main sleep cycles. During REM sleep our voluntary muscle groups become temporarily paralyzed by the base of the brain. By turning off the neurons in our spinal cord, we do not actively act out the dreams that we are experiencing.

It was first given this name by scientists who noted the rapid, jerky movements of the eyes through closed lids, as if the persons asleep were seeing something. When an electroencephalogram (EEG) was attached to volunteers in a sleep study, it showed that the levels of brain activity were nearly identical to those who were awake. They also noted an increase in heart rate and breaths per minute.

While we sleep, we cycle between REM and non REM with four stages of NREM sleep preceding one stage of REM. NREM sleep is the stage at which our body repairs itself -  energy is replenished and our immune system is boosted. A complete cycle of sleep takes between 90 and 110 minutes in total, with approximately a quarter of that time being spent in REM sleep. It is also the stage during which dreaming almost always takes place. Scientists are still trying to discover the extent to which REM sleep affects our health and mental well-being, but they do know that REM sleep is important for the development of creativity and problem solving ability, and is how we learn to adapt to our world.

Age Difference

The percentage of time spent in REM sleep is the greatest among babies and children. Babies can spend as much as 50% of their sleep time in the REM stage. And while it has been thought that the dreams we experience during REM sleep are a consolidation of the memories that we have experienced during the previous day, babies in the womb (who experts believe have few or no real world memories) spend most of their sleep time in a state of REM.
Although we are still unclear of its true dynamics, a Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Harvard University, J. Allan Hobson, says the purpose of REM sleep is: “A reinforcement of basic knowledge—knowledge that precedes any waking-state learning: how to be a person, how to be an ego, how to exist in a space, how to move in a space, how to feel. It’s not environmental memory; it’s genetic memory.”

Natural chiropractic care can help facilitate better sleep cycles. Chiropractors believe the spine  and health are related in a fundamental way, and that this relationship is mediated through the nervous system.   Chiropractors examine the biomechanics,  structure and function of the spine, along with its effects on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems and what they believe to be its role in health and disease. Improved sleep results which, in turn, improves the body’s ability to heal itself.

Dr. Andrew Thaw is a chiropractor in Palm Beach Gardens. His office is conveniently located on Military Trail, just south of PGA Boulevard in the recently renamed Shoppes in the Gardens. Call our office today at 561-775-9111 and schedule a complimentary consultation.